The Governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon, declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard in advance of a grand jury decision about whether a white police officer will be charged in the fatal shooting of black teenager Michael Brown in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson.
St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said the National Guard will be used as a visible sign of support. They will not be used as front-line law enforcement. "My biggest concern is people are safe and the protesters are given their right to express themselves peacefully," he said after the announcement.
William Brooks, national president of the NAACP, called the activation of the Guard "premature in its application and presumptuous to the hundreds of peaceful demonstrators who have embraced their Constitutional right to protest."
I am not sure what to think really. I do believe the National Guar does send an aggressive message because of their aggressive appearance, however, I do see how they can help keep the peace.